Taking Sides?

October 2006 | Risk Summary

After remaining neutral on the matter for some time, Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, has warned of the destabilising effect that UN-sponsored sanctions on Iran could have for the region. Azerbaijan has emerged as a key US ally in the turbulent area, though it shares a border with Iran, and is currently in talks over a possible deal for gas imports from its neighbour. The latest statement demonstrates Aliyev's growing confidence in international affairs, but we do not expect the president to take a hard line against either Washington or Tehran, preferring instead to adopt the multi-vector model of diplomacy that

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